Tassal has learned nothing from their Macquarie Harbour fiasco and environmental disaster by their
surprise decision to install industrial salmon pens at Okehampton Bay. It has done so in the absence of
any approvals for supporting infrastructure, such as a proposed shore base, and its failure to win
community support and secure a social licence. They have learnt nothing from their unfolding
environmental disaster in Macquarie Harbour.
Jim Playsted, Vice President of East Coast Community group, Marine Protection Tasmania stated this
was even more evidence Tassal holds little respect for local communities, due process or even simply
admitting their mistakes .
“There hasn’t even been a biomass limit announced for Okehampton Bay nor any commitment to
fallowing within the Okehampton Bay lease and Right To Information Requests by The Mercury were
returned almost entirely redacted – what are they hiding?
“In just three years Tassal laid waste to their Macquarie Harbour Franklin Lease, creating a dead zone
which has now penetrated the World Heritage Area, in addition to having their sustainability
certification expire for their remaining Macquarie Harbour leases.
“For years Tassal and successive State Governments have denied there was even a problem with how
this company operated – now we are tripping over scientific reports showing clear evidence there is a
big problem and that we cannot trust them to respect our East Coast.
“If the government fails to rein in Tassal and the company’s unsustainable practices it will continue to
damage Brand Tasmania and the economic benefits it brings.”
Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff has previously stated it was important the community
had confidence in the aquaculture industry –
“We utterly reject that there is a community license for this industrial fishfarm. The Hodgman Liberal
Government has acted in bad faith granting this license without an EIS from which all parties could
have drawn some comfort .”
Recent polling on the East Coast further supports this view. The ‘take it or leave it’ Tassal approach to
Okehampton Bay has deeply divided an already damaged community, which was slowly recovering
from closure of the native forest industry.
Minister Rockcliff must draw a line in the sand and declare a moratorium on expansion of finfish
leases until all of the science on the Salmon Farming leases & their impact on Macquarie
Harbour is properly assessed. He must consider the impacts of unregulated stocking levels in
relation to low-flushing Bays, like Okehampton, and – this is the important part – reviewed
before public hearings.
The East Coast Community and indeed all Tasmanians need their faith restored in their elected
representatives, the integrity of the salmon industry and a properly resourced EPA responsible for the
independent monitoring of the industry ongoing.
Jim Playsted, Wilhelmina Rea
